It is true old bean, rumour has it the only Shakin that Stevens is doing is of his owners hands as they take horses from the yard. Peace And War stayed over in the USA and others have been rotated amongst the good Sheikhs roster. I wonder if we will see Gamesome pop up at Cowells yard before long too.
I do fear that Robert Cowell (I bet he’s nicknamed ‘Sir Simon’, incidentally, by his chums) is getting pigeon holed as a trainer of sprinters and not getting sent much else. Maybe the Qatari chap will send him some nice miler to 12 furlong animals as well. Most certainly deserves the chance with something else. In other racing news I wonder if the lovely, and I do mean lovely, Sammy-Jo Bell has ever been less pleased to get a ride than in the 3.05 at Newmarket tomorrow?!? Cor blimey to use a chav expression the old girl is going to get ‘pelters’.
Ascot non-runners now up to 10 re today’s runners. A brave man to bet at that course after this deluge...
Jakster .. this is a tough race to call .. Stick would normally be on and pushing Barnet Fair if he thought it had a real chance ... but what of the jolly .. Northgate Lad .. maybe this is the one to be on .. with Green Door as an ew @ 16's ... or maybe just a race to watch ?
The going at Ascot is described as “Soft” on Friday afternoon, so I am expecting that the Andre Fabre horsebox has already done a U-turn to go back to Chantilly. Flintshire will definitely be out, reducing the field to single figures. They will undoubtedly prevaricate about Golden Horn before withdrawing him tomorrow, so Snow Sky will go off favourite. If I had not bought an advance ticket, I would not be bothering to go as the word “soft” in the going report is synonymous with “no bet” and most of the support card is probably going to be decimated by non-runners. It might not be so Glorious at Goodwood next week if a similar level of rain has hit Sussex... unless the Qataris propose to move the meeting to Doha where it should be dry and warm.
No wonder you get people like AS. If Shakin' Stevens was a crooner I'm a Monkey's Uncle (no Groucho quips). The crooner who had the hit with Green Door was Frankie Vaughan, the first big UK pop star (ask Pete Townshend). Shakin Stevens, a would be retro-rocker of the late '60s and early '70s (failed), who suddenly redid it in the early '80s and had a hit. Good job he wasn't trained by Vaughan.
18:40 Newmarket - Mistymoistymorning 19:40 Newmarket - Mishghar (Win on each and e/w double. Both should be suited by conditions, with stamina a-plenty). Heck, only 4-runners in the first one, but I'll just let it ride!).
Well, the first one blewed-out but good. Stuck a bit more on Mishghar at 3/1. Hope he doesn't finish last!
